Cervical splint



Nov. 26, 1940. T; C, WARD I CERVICAL SPLINT Filed D60. 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet! Nov. 26, 1940. 1-. c. WARD CERVICAL SPLINT Filed Dec. 17, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relatesto an improvement in cervical splints "for supporting the head in the treatment of fracture or fractures of the cervical vertebrae.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a supporting structure which may be fitted readily to splints of various sizes and ages.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, convenient and efficient means for freely and comfortably Supporting the head.

A further object isto provide a device which may be applied to a patients head by a physician with little, if any, movement of the patient or his head. i

' Further objects and advantages will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description.

These and other objects are attained by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

in whichin which the invention is applied to the patient; Fig. 2 is a perspective rear View of the splint in which the invention is embodied applied to the patient;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation view of the front portion of the splint;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation view of the rear tion of the splint;

Fig. 5 is a plan view ofv the chin plate of the splint;

Fig. 6 is a-plan View of the neck splint of the splint;

Fig. 7 is a detailed view of the clamping for the angle irons;

Fig. 8 is a section view of the adjustable pivot for the angle ironsand the front portion; Fig. 9 is a section of the means shown in Figure 1 n the line 99 for securing the strap buckles to the front portion; v

Fig; 10 is a cross section taken on line 1-4 of Figure 3; and j i :1

Fig. 11 is a view of an end of one, ofthe irons. In the invention as illustrated in the; accompanying drawings, there is'disclosed a preferred pormeans construction of a, device which comprises a front breast section I composed of a. yoke-shaped metal strip 2 provided with suitable padding material 3. The metal strip Zis-made of lightweight metal which gives it a'fiexi-bility to there- 50 by enable it to give way tothe contours of the patients body portion. This is desirable .partioularly since the yoke-shaped design of the front breast section enables the splint to be used upon afemale patient without possible injury,

55 pain, harm or discomfort to the breast portion Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a splint of the patient. The padding material 3 is secured' to the metal strip 2 by thread or other suitable means which passes through apertures 4 provided at intervals along the outer edges of metal strip 2.

Tongue buckles 1a, ib (Fig. 9) are slipped through a flexible band which band is flattened and secured by suitable means 6, such as a rivet, to the lower end portion 7 of the metal strip 2. A single unit buckle 9 is secured by means of an elastic or fiexible. material ID to each arm 8 of the yoke portion.

At thecenter portion ll of the yoke-shaped plate 2 there are secured two small angle irons l2 which are positioned in spaced relationship 15 and provided with coinciding apertures I3 in their adjacent sides for the passage of bolt screw I l.

An iron i5 is pivotally mounted between the angle irons l2 as shown in Fig. 1 by means of screw bolt 14 which passes through apertures 13 o'fthe angle irons and aperture la in iron l5. This iron i5 is twisted a short distance from its end which is mounted between angle irons [2, as shown at 15, so that its fiat sides I! and it are at right angles to one another. The longer flat surface iii of the iron 15 has an aperture [9 for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. A second iron 26 of similar shape to iron I5 is provided with aperture 2| and is placed adjacent to iron l5 as shown in Fig. 1. Screwv bolts 23v and 24 are passed through apertures l9 and 2| of the irons l5 and 25] in order that the irons may be adjustably'mounted with respect to one another.. The irons I5 and 20 may beta-pared, straight or otherwise shaped and secured together, if desired, in order to give a particular adjustment which ma be necessary for some special patient. r

A chin-plate 25 comprising a metal strip 26 which is suitably made from flexible metal in order to conformv generally to the shape of the chin. and provided with suitable padding material 2'l for the comfort of the user, has two small angle irons 28 and 29 secured by solder or other suitable means to the lower central portion 29 of the chin-plate. Angle irons 28 and 29' are provided with apertures 30 for the passage of a screwzbolt 30a. Iron 2ll, previously referred to is pivotally mounted between'irons 28 and 29 by means f screw bolt 30a which passes through apertures 30 of the angle irons 28 and 29 and aperture Si in iron 20.. Suitable buckles 32 are secured by suitable means to the side portion 33 of the chin-plate 25zfor the fastening of adjustable strips 34 and 35. hereinafter referred to.

It will be seen that the section of the cervical splint thus far described enables one to vary the position of the chin-plate to Various angles as may be desired, so that it may be used on all types of persons, both large or small, old or young, and male or female.

A rear plate section 36, as shown in Fig. 2,

through apertures provided in metal strip 31..

Tongue buckles 45a, 401) are secured by flexible bands 4| to the lower portion 42 of the metal strip 31 in a manner similar to the buckles 4 described and shown in Fig. 1. Buckles 45 and 46 are secured by flexible materials 41 and 46 to each arm 49 and 50 of the yoke-shaped metal strip 31' as shown in Fig. 4. Small angle irons and 52 are secured by solder or other means tothe center portion 53 of the rear plate 36.

An iron 54 is pivotally mounted between angle irons 5| and 52 by means of screw bolt 55 which passes through aperture 55 in iron 54. This iron 54 is twisted in the same manner as iron l5,

shown inFig. 1, in order to provide flat sides 51 and 58. The longer flat surface 58 of theiron 54 has an aperture 59. Iron 55, identical in structure to the iron 54, is provided with flat sides 68 and 52 and aperture 62a. The irons 54 and 55 are joined together by means of screw bolts 63 and 64, which pass through apertures 59' and 62 (Fig. 4) of the irons.

A neck-splint 65 comprises a metal strip 66 shaped in the fashion of a butterfly 51. Metal strip 66 is made of flexible metal and is bent slightly in contour to conform generally to the back of a persons neck. Appropriate padding material 58 is secured to the metal strip 66 for the comfort of the patient. The metal strip 66 is provided with angle irons (59 and which are shaped in the'same manner as angle irons 28 and 29 of the chin-plate 25. These angle irons are provided with apertures ll and 12 (Fig. 6). The irons 59 and 10 having been joinedtogether by means of screw bolts 63 and 64 are pivotally mounted to the neck-splint 65 by means of screw bolt 13.

The butterfly strip 51 is providedwith buckles 75 secured by flexible means 16 to the lower end portion of the butterfly strip. These buckles are used for adjustably securing straps for varying the distance and position of the neck-splint and the chin-plate aforementioned.

Having described in some detail the static structure of the front and rear portions of the splint, attention is now called to the flexible means used to properly adjust the aforementioned sections in order that they will properly protect a patient suffering from a broken cervical vertebra.

As aforementioned, each yoke section 2 and 31 is provided at its base portion with buckles 4a, 4b and 48a, 4%. Suitable flexible strips T4 are used tofconnect together the front and rear plates of the splint in any desired position and tightness for conformity of the splint to the patients body, neck and head. Similar flexible straps 6| (Figs. 1 and 2) are used over the shoulders of a patient and secured to buckles 9 and 45 and 45 on the arm portions of the front and rear plates. These straps are likewise adjusted to properly position the upper portion of the front and rear plates for better conformity to the patients body, head and neck. Small narrow straps 34 and 35 are adjustably secured to the buckles 32 and for adjusting the chin-plate and the neck-splint to conform to the contours of the patient.

It will be readily appreciated that by freely adjusting the various straps to conform to the dimension of a patient, that various adjustments can be made which will securely position a patients head in relationship to his body and neck without any appreciable movement of the patients body, neck or head.

It will also be noted that the several irons I5, 20, 55 and 54 are adjustable (set screws 23, 24, 53, and 64) in sets in order that the chin-plate and/or neck-splint may be adjusted to suit the 'patients head contours. By loosening the several screw bolts 35a and 13 the chin-plate and/or neck-splint may be tilted and adjusted for the convenience of the patient.

The above mentioned adjustable features provide a cervical splint which may be applied toa patient while the patient is in bed, and while the patients head 'hasa halter on, Without the removal of the halter or lessening any traction on the neck made by the head halter, which has heretofore been impossible due to the shape and structure of previouscervical splints.

The invention herein described also provides a cervical splint which may be adjusted from time to time as the patient improved, to thereby vary the tension placedupon the various portions of the patients body, neck and head tofexpedite the recovery of the patient from a broken cervical vertebra. v

An additional advantage of the present invention is the provision of a splint which is not moved out of position by the slight change in the position of the patients shoulders and'arms. The movement of the shoulders and arms of the patient have heretofore disturbed the position of the cervical splint, and thereby added to the discomfort of the patient, and at times severely injured the patient due to the fact that the known splints were mounted upon the patients shoulders and were moved by each and every movement of the arms and shoulders of'the patient. This disadvantage as heretofore'mention'ed; is overcome by the use of the present invention.

The invention is capable of modifications to its several parts without material departure fromits scope or spirit as defined in the appended claims.

For example, various sizes or'odd sizes, such as.

one large, one small, of front and rear sections may be used and interchanged as desired in order that the cervical splint may properly fit persons of irregular or deformed bodies.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: i

1. A cervical splint comprising a front section adapted'to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of thechest of the wearer, a rear section independent of said front section and adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and musclesof the back of the wearer, said front and rear section's comprising flexible metallic plates adapted tobe'nd to the contours of the chest and back of the wearer, fastening means secured'to said front and rear'sections, straps secured to said fastening means and adapted to join said front andrear sections in spaced relationship, overlapping ironsipivotally secured inindependenti sets to. said front and rear sections, said irons provided with longitudinal slots and screw bolts and adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the wearer, a chin-plate pivotally secured to said set of overlapping irons secured to said front section only, buckling means secured to said chin-plate, a neck-splint pivotally secured to the second independent set of said overlapping irons, said second set of overlapping irons being pivotally secured to said rear section only and flexible means adjustably secured to said buckling means of said chin-plate and said necksplint and adapted to join said chin-plate and neck-splint in spaced relationship whereby said front and rear sections and said chin plate and said neck splint are adapted to be adjusted inde-' pendent of each other to conform to the size and shape of the wearer.

2. A cervical splint comprising a front section adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the chest of the wearer, a rear section independent of said front section and adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the back of the wearer, said front and rear sections comprising flexible yoke-shaped metallic plates adapted to bend to the contours of the chest and back of the wearer, fastening means secured to said front and rear sections, straps adjustably secured to said fastening means adapted to join said front and rear sections in spaced relationship, overlapping irons pivotally secured in independent sets to said front and rear sections, said irons provided with longitudinal slots and screw bolts and adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the wearer, a chin-plate pivotally secured to said set of overlapping irons secured to said front section only, buckling means secured to said chin-plate, a necksplint pivotally secured to the second set of said overlapping irons, said second set of overlapping irons being pivotally secured to said rear section only and'flexible means adjustably secured to said buckling means of said chin-plate and said neck-splint and adapted to join said chin-plate and neck-splint in spaced relationship whereby said front and rear sections and said chin plate and said neck splint are adapted to be adjusted independent of each other to conform to the size and shape of the Wearer.

3. A cervical splint comprising a front section adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the chest of the wearer, a rear section independent of said front'section and adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the back of the wearer, said front and rear sectionscomprising flexible metallic plates adapted to bend to the contours of the chest and the back of the wearer, fastening means secured to said front and rear sections, two sets of straps secured to said fastening means and adapted to join said front and rear sections in spaced relationship, one set of said straps adapted beneath the armpits of the wearer and the other set of straps adapted over the shoulder of the wearer, over-lapping irons pivotally secured in independent sets to said front and rear sections, said irons provided with longitudinal slots and screw bolts and adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the wearer, a chin-plate pivotally secured to said set of over-lapping irons secured to said front section only, buckling means secured to said chin-plate, a neck splint pivotally secured to second independent set of said overlapping irons, said second set of over-lapping irons being pivotally secured to said rear section only, and flexible means adjustably secured to said buckling means of said chin-plate and said neck splint and adapted to join said chin-plate and said neck splint in spaced relationship, whereby, said front and rear sections and said chin-plate and said neck splint are adapted to be adjusted independent of each other to conform to the size and shape of the wearer.

4. A cervical splint comprising a front section adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the chest of the wearer, a rear section independent of said front section and adapted to rest upon substantially non-moving bones and muscles of the back of the wearer, said front and rear sections comprising flexible yokeshaped metallic plates adapted to bend to the contours of the chest and the back of the wearer, fastening means secured to said front and rear sections, two sets of' straps adjustably secured to said fastening means and adapted to join said front and rear sections in spaced relationship, one set of said straps adapted beneath the armpits of the wearer and the other set of straps adapted over the shoulder of the wearer, over-lapping irons pivotally secured in independent sets to said front and rear sections, said irons provided with longitudinal slots and screw bolts and adapted to be adjusted to the size and shape of the wearer, a chin-plate pivotally secured to said set of over-lapping irons secured to said front section only, buckling means secured to said chinplate, a neck splint pivotally secured to second independent set of said over-lapping irons, said second set of over-lapping irons being pivotally secured to said rear section only, and flexible means adjustably' secured to said buckling means of said chin-plate and said neck splint and adapted to join said chin-plate and said neck splint in spaced relationship, whereby, said front and rear sections and said chin-plate and said neck splint are adapted to be adjusted independent of each other to conform to the size and shape of the wearer.

THOS. C. WARD. 

